How much French would I need to know in order to travel there?

Depends on where you go…

If you are in any Tourist region (the Mediterranean sea, the Bretagne, the Mountains) or in Paris, you get along fine with English. If you are going to the rural parts, you won’t.

If you go to a foreign country, it’s always nicer if you first try their language. Even with the hotel personnel or the waiter, even if you know they do speak English. They’ll like you better if you first try their language. You don’t have to be good at it. Just show them you tried. The French will immediately figure out your accent. And they’ll love you for trying to learn their tounge-knot of a lanuage.

You will sure need: Bonne matin (good morning), bonjour (good day), bonsoir (good evening) and bonne nuit (good night). Merci (thanks), de rien (you’re welcome), s’il vous plait (please). Au revoir (good bye).

If you’ll go shopping, learn the names of anything you might want to buy. Numbers will also be good to know.

If you want to meet people, you might want to be able to ask their name, tell them your own name and whatever else you might want to talk about. Just imagine: you meet the man of your dreams, he’s French and he doesn’t know any English. You’ll need his name and address or you’ll never see him again… terrible thought, isn’t it ;)

have fun in France the sheep